Canon PIXMA MX870 printer producing slanted/wavy text

[joseph1949]

To: ghwellsjr

I went to the Advanced Guide for my printer to see how to perform a manual head alignment. I have followed the instructions, but the following instruction leaves me scratching my head:

Check the printed pattern
Enter the numbers of the patterns with the least amount of streaks in the associated boxes.
Clicking the patterns with the least amount of streaks in the preview window, will automatically set their numbers in the associated boxes.

I cannot locate the patterns to click on or the associated boxes.

I cannot ask Canon for help until Monday. Canon is closed on Sat and Sun.

Can you or someone help me find the patterns and the associated boxes?

Thank you for your reply.

To: irvweiner

I will print out the text as you suggest. I do not expect anything earthshaking!

Note: I will give a case history of my two MX870 printers. It will have a lot of detail. This will be my next post, but now I have to eat lunch.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[IanYY]

This is how to do a manual print head alignment on my ip4300 - most Canon printers are the same or similar ...

Using Windows
Open any program with a print option (eg Notepad)
File -> Print -> (select your printer) -> Preferences -> Maintenance -> Custom Settings -> Tick "Align Heads Manually" -> Send -> Click "Print Head Alignment" and follow the on-screen instructions.

Without the "Custom Settings" bit, you will get Automatic Alignment instead of Manual Alignment.

Ian

{Edit}
PS I don't think print head alignment actually has anything to do with your problem. As others have said, it looks like a timng problem. Your printer is missing (or adding) a timing beat when printing the first line of text.

Although the timing strip is the obvious candidate, there could be other electrical reasons for a missing or corrupted timing signal. Since you have had this problem on more than one printer, I would try a different/shorter USB cable and then try a different USB port on your PC (or even better, a different PC).

If it only ever happens on the first line of text (not yet confirmed), it could be some form of stiction (sticky friction) making the printing mechanism slow to start from rest. Possibly caused by gooey ink collecting where it shouldn't.

 

[iP4XXX]

To: irvweiner

Referring to your post #21, what does OP mean?Thank you.

OP => Original Poster

 

[joseph1949]

The following is the case history of my two Canon Pixma MX870 printers:

Purchased first printer from Costco on 8/13/2010
Use 10 foot USB cord.
Purchased new PC in the first part of 9/2010
Started using new MX870 printer in 9/2010. Printer uses Canon ink carts that came with printer.
Canon ink carts are exhausted. Switched to Caboodle ink carts (Canon carts and Caboodles ink). Source of ink unknown.
By the middle of 10/2010 the printer starts to spit out slanted/wavy (s/w) text. As the days go by the s/w text gets worse. The s/w text starts in the Fast and Standard quality print mode. High quality is O.K. At the end of 10/2010 High quality spits really bad s/w text half the time.
Contact Canon. Canon tells me to run tests. I run tests. Tests show nothing wrong.
Canon tells me they will send refurbished unit to me. I receive refurbished unit and send bad unit to Canon. The date is now the first week in Nov./2010.
Total carts used by the two printers up to now: (Canon carts) 1 cart-CLI-221B,
1 cart-CLI-221C, 1 cart-CLI-221M, 1 cart-220 PGI, 1 cart-CLI-221Y
(Caboodle carts) 0 cart-CLI-221B, 3-carts-CLI-221C, 2 carts-CLI-221M,
4 carts-CLI-220 PGI, 2-carts CLI-221Y
On 1/17/2010 second printer spits out s/w text in Fast and Standard mode.
On 1/21/210 contact Canon about s/w text. Canon tells me to run tests. Tests
show nothing wrong. Canon tells me they will send me a refurbished unit. I tell Canon I will get back to them.
On 1/28/2010 I go to Costco to tell my sob story. Costco says it will refund my money on the printer-yahoo!!!!!
On 1/29/2010 I run manual head alignment. I have a problem running test. Will contact Canon on Monday.
Have tried shorter USB cord/different USB port. Still see s/w text.
Fast quality print mode and Standard quality print mode show s/w text. High quality print mode does NOT show s/w text. Font size above 22 makes s/w text effect go away.
Printing a Word 2010 document shows s/w text. Printing a text from a web site shows s/w text. Printing out 9 pages of email text shows NO sign of s/w text.
Print text using HP DeskJet 882C printer and Canon Pixma iP2610D printer shows No sign of s/w text.
Cleaned timing strip twice front and back-with alcohol and Q-tips.
Have used Caboodle carts with HP DeskJet 882C printer and Canon Pixma iP2610D printer and see NO s/w text.

 

[joseph1949]

To: IanYY

Thank you for the reply.

My Advanced Guide showed me the same path. I was able to perform the manual head alignment except for the patterns and associated boxes part (see my post # 31).

I will contact Canon on Monday for help. I do not expect to see any improvement.

I have used a shorter USB/different USB port. This was no help.

Thank you

To: iP4XX

Thank you for the information!!!

 

[joseph1949]

To: ghwellsjr

To: to all the rest

Kudos to ghwellsjr.

ghwellsjr suggested that I perform a manual head alignment (see post #27). I performed the manual head alignment and IT FIXED THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Canon never asked me to perform a manual head alignment on either my first or second printer. Why???????????????????

The mental midgets (aka Canon) may have thought that it would be too difficult to do. Folks, it is not easy. One can go blind looking at all the rectangles and trying to pick the least worst of the bunch. You need to use a strong light and take your time. I would suggest that two people do the picking. Two pairs of eyes are better than one pair. Just dont get into shouting match over it.

I would like to thank everyone for their help.

Thank you.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Thanks for the kudos but I really have to pass them on to Tin Ho where he provided that suggestion on this post. That's what I love about this forum, everyone helping everyone else.

 

[irvweiner]

Now that our suggestions for your printhead alignment has brought success, a serious question still remains. Why did this happen to 2 consecutive printers out of the box. If so, where are the other owners of this printer that statistically should be suffering the same fate?

Can Joseph expect to see this misalignment within 2.5 months again? I'm still disturbed that the print failure only occurred in the first line of a text paragraph. And just what did the alignment procedure adjust for? And how?

I look forward to the future performance of this printer--with or without it's 'Kaboodle' ink.

irv weiner

 

[joseph1949]

To: ghwellsjr

Please thank Tin Ho for me.

See below, please.


To: irvweiner

It seems I was a bit too quick to say that my problem was fixed. I have no slanted/wavy text in Standard mode and High mode (never a problem in High mode). I do still have a problem in Fast mode. Since I very seldom print in Fast mode this is not a real problem. If and when the problem reoccurs in Standard mode I will let you know

Thank you.

 

[Parhs]

Hello. I got this printer and i noticed that my text was somehow strange. It was like it was consisted of diagonical lines with tiny white dots inside and wavy...
I did automatic alignment and then had no problem.
From the menu of the printer... it printed the page and then i put it at the scanner and was ok.